Mechanism for preventing formation of ice on windshields



Oct. 31, 1939. F. CORDOVA MECHANISM FOR PREVENTING FORMATION OF ICE ONWINDSHIELDS Filed Sept. 1Q, 1938 INVENTOR /sW/f 550.00m?

ATTORNEY Patented oet. 31, 1939 PATENT yorrlcr.

MCHANISM FOR PREVENTING FRMATION OF ICE ON WINDSHIELDS Frank Cordova,Hempstead, N. Y.

Application September 10, 1938, Serial No. 229,241

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a mechanism for preventing the formation ofice on airplane windshields.

Ice forms so rapidly, particularly when airplanes are operated at highspeed and high altitude, that transport planes carry hammers in thepilots cockpits for smashing the glass in case of severe icing. So faras I am aware, no satisfactory way of preventing formation of ice onairplane windshields has so far been devised.

According to the present invention, the formation of ice on windshieldsis prevented by feeding an anti-freeze fluid to the outside surface ofthe Windshield, and by distributing this fluid over a given area of thewindshield by means of a rapidly rotating blade. y

Features, objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out orbecome apparent in connection with the following detailed description ofmechanism illustrating the invention, refer- Fig. 5 is a view taken onthe line 5--5 of Fig. 4

on enlarged scale; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. "1.

In the drawing, there is shown at I a section of a glass windshieldmounted in a suitable frame II. A bracket I2, which is secured at oneend to the frame II, supports a housing I3 for a bearing I4 in which ismounted a shaft I5. On the outer end of shaft I5, which extends throughthe windshield, there is secured, for instance byl means of squared end20 and nut 2l, a rotatable member I8. v To this member I 8 there aresecured blades I9, preferably set back from the leading edge of themember I 8. These blades are ar-v ranged so that they lie close to theoutside surface of the glass. To assist in preventing ice fromcollecting on the member I8, this member may contain, if desired,electric heating elements 28, to which current may'besupplied throughwires 29 and brushes 30.

Suitable means are provided for rotating the shaft I at high speed, suchas 1000 to 2500 R. P. M. This may be accomplished by means of a pulleyI6 and belt Il driven from any convenient source of power (not shown) oran electric motor 3l, mounted on bracket 32, may drive the shaft I5directly, as shown in Fig. 3.

An anti-freeze fiuid is fed to the outside of the windshield, adjacentthe axis of rotation of the blades I9. For this purpose the shaft I5 ishollow and its inner wall is preferably ried as shown at 22. Ananti-freeze fluid is fed into the interior of the shaft I5 through astationary pipe under control of a valve 25. Any desirable antifreezefluid may be employed, for instance a mixture of glycerine and alcohol.As best shown in Fig. 5, the shaft I5 is provided with diametricallyopposed openings 24, adjacent the outside of the windshield, throughwhich the uid is fed to the leading sides of the blades I9, with respectto the direction of their rotation. The rotation of the blades Wipes theanti-freeze fiuid over the desired area. f

The present invention thus provides a simple and effective means forpreventing the formation of ice on windshields, through the centrifugalaction of the rapidly rotating blades on the anti-freeze fluid. Theblades rotate fast enough so that they do not interfere with the pilotsvisibility. When the freezing conditions are not severe, the device canbe operated without the anti-freeze fluid by closing the valves 25.Thus.

the device has utility as a windshield wiper in addition to preventingthe formation of ice.

While the invention has been developed particularly for use inconnection with airplanes, it will be understood that it is alsoapplicable to automobiles and other vehicles.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the useof such termsy and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of thefeatures shown and described, or portions thereof, but it is recognizedthat various modifications are possible within the scope of theinvention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. Mechanism of the character described, com prising a Wiper mounted forrotation close to the outside surface of a windshield, a hollow shaft onwhich said rotatable wiper is mounted, means to rotate said shaft at aspeed such that said wiper is -practically invisible, and means tosupply an anti-freeze liquid through said shaft to the sur-'- face ofsaid wiper, whereby the liquid is distributed over the outside' surfaceof the windshield by centrifugal force.

2. A device of the character described for a vehicle windshield,comprising a rotatable blade, a shaft on which said blade is mounted,means including a port near the axis of rotation for feeding liquid intothe path of the blade near the inner end thereof, and means to rotatethe blade at a speed such that it is practically invisible, whereby theliquid is distributed over the outside survface of the windshield bycentrifugal force.

3. An anti-icing device of the character described, comprising arotatable wiper blade, a shaft on which said blade is mounted, meansincluding a port near the axis of rotation for feeding anti-freezeliquid to the leading surface of said blade near the inner end thereof,-and means anti-freeze liquid over the area traversed by the Y y blade.

4. A windshield wiper of the character described, comprising rotatableblades, a shaft on which said blades are mounted, means including portsat the inner ends of said blades for feeding liquid into the path of theblades, and means to rotate said blades at a speed such that the liquidis distributed outwardly along said blades and over the area of thewindshield traversed by said blades.

FRANK CORDOVA.

